Tag Archives: divinity

So, lately we’ve been obsessed with the decadence and glamour of the 1970s disco scene, especially in Europe! And when we found this video by avant-garde superstar Amanda Lear, we found it to be the perfect combination of vintage awesomeness and spooky elegance!!!

We didn’t know very much about this divinity (don’t worry…we will be working on giving her an honored place on our altar of Style Idols & Divinities), but we have been delving into this marvelous woman’s life like no one’s business!

Here is a woman who hobnobbed with The Beatles, David Bowie, Brian Jones, Bryan Ferry, Andy Warhol…had the model looks of Verushka and the voice of Marlene Dietrich. Not only that, she was a close confidante to THE Salvador Dali, and remained one of his closest friends and muses until his death. She even closed Jean Paul Gaultier’s 1980s pop music muses collection back in 2013!

What is so wonderful about Amanda is her mystery . . . sometimes things are best left to the imagination, and Lear keeps this enigmatic quality to this day (her birth date and nationality is still unclear, as well as other rumors circulating)!

This is what we respect most of this bad ass woman! Just be yourself, and everything else will fall into place.

+Before Beyonce there was Dalida.+

This exotic beauty of Italian descent and born in Cairo, Egypt rose to international fame throughout the 1960s and all the way to her suicide in the 1980s. A suicide over a broken heart only days after appearing in television interviews perfectly normal…love was her worst enemy in life.

She sold upwards of 140 million albums; Beyonce has sold 17 million solo, and 17 million with Destiny’s Child which really puts it into perspective (although, our girl Rihanna has sold upwards of 230 million records, so . . . ).

Fresh off our VMP DRAG FASHION FLAUNT at this year’s Vintage Marketplace, we can’t stop thinking about how incredible drag queens are, especially those of the {PAST} who paved the way for the {PRESENT} culture and creativity and will continue to invoke its {FUTURE}.

We know everyone who is anyone keeps up with RuPaul’s Drag Race, and the past season’s ALL STARS edition featured a wickedly hilarious Snatch Game that had Brooklyn babe AJA take on one of Herstory’s most legendary queens – founder of the House of LaBeija, and star of the cult 1968 documentary “The Queen”, Crystal LaBeija!

And she took her on with gusto and glamour, and also delivered this beautiful spirit back into the forum of the mainstream…much in the way Jinx Monsoon brought us Little Edie of “Grey Gardens”, and Sasha Velour took on Marlene Dietrich; keeping these divinities alive for younger generations is absolutely key!

How sad it is when you hear a young man or woman denote they have no idea who these iconic legends are . . . stay educated, kids!

“The Queen” is a fabulous film directed by Frank Simon, and provides an up close and candid look at the behind of the scenes of the 1967 All-America Camp Beauty Contest in New York City. It is a wonderful portrait of a time gone by. . . New York City is rough and tough, and men from all around America shack up in tiny hotel rooms in anticipation of the pageant discussing the difficulties of being gay in America. They are all fabulous, and its wonderful to see their final transformations from the male versions of them you see in rehearsals. This transformation truly proves the power of style and image to invoke strength from within.

Illustrated herstory by Laurel Lynn-Leake

By far, the most fabulous moment has to be Crystal’s freak out when she is named fourth place storms out and then rips everyone a new one backstage. Absolutely ICONIC…you are going to have to see it to believe it! And if you are a fan of Drag Race, you will really appreciate what Aja brought to the table even more.

We stumbled upon a full version of the film on Youtube, so check it out below and enjoy!

We love moments like this in pop culture where the {PAST} races into the {PRESENT} and ultimately shapes our {FUTURE}. . . rebel queens like Crystal LaBeija will live on far past those who chose not to be the truest, most incredible versions of themselves.

When we say the name Maila Nurmi, you might not know who the fuck we are talking about. What if we were to say, Vampira? Of course!

Our current climate is so influenced and inspired by her delightful darkness, gothic glamour, and overall irreverence to almost everything! Oh, and did we mention she was friends with James Dean and Elvis??!

You might have even read our STYLE {DIVINITY} tribute to the goddess of creepy chic. Somehow in the 1950s at the height of conservative moral values, this daring Finnish actress rose to stardom with a status-quo bashing gig as television’s first last night horror show host of The Vampira Show which officially premiered on May 1, 1954!

As Vampira she retold the story of women in the media – not just prim and proper and ready to serve; the only thing Vampira was ready to serve was a bloody head on a platter for brunch. Its still hard for me to wrap my head around how she was able to get away with her gruesome take on House & Home living. All the more reason to worship this divine creature for everything she stood for.

Now, while Maila found popularity playing Vampira, she was an actress in Hollywood playing many roles. This next clip we found, we fell in love with – showcasing her talents in another rebel archetype that was taking hold in America in the 50s: the lousy beatnik.

A precursor to the hipster of today, a gateway to the free love hippie movement of the 60s and 70s. The beatnik was every conservative’s biggest pain in the ass. Like millennials of the atomic era- they were often viewed as aimless, pretentious, and overall whacky.

This clip taken from the iconic Beat-era classic “The Beatnik Generation” features Maila Nurmi pissing off a couple of squares with her off beat poem sporting a short blonde haircut and a rat on the shoulder; she completely oozes this infamous generation’s vibe to the max! Its very comical…and tell me she doesn’t look a bit like Katya Zamolodchikova ?!

Whatever it ends up being, we have been itching for another psychological thriller a la Black Swan and perhaps Mother! can truly deliver! Perhaps it will even deliver J-Law her second Oscar? Only time will tell…

You know we love linking {present} day visuals to the {past}, so we couldn’t help but perceive the remarkable similarities to the aesthetic of sure-fire style diva Frida Kahlo!

There’s some kind of resemblance….the heart, the botanicals, even the gore! So Frida!

The Mother! poster was designed by Taiwanese artist James Jean. Mother! opens in theatres October 13, 2017 – so stay tuned!

Who knows what kind of musings this film will expose the world to . . .

Frida Kahlo by Nikolas Muray

{circa. 1939}

“At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.”

90S TEEN DREAM

STYLE/SCREAM QUEEN

+CHRISTINA RICCI+

{CIRCA. 1995 / ‘CASPER’ DAZE}

“Can I keep you?…”

Girl, you really rock that tattered Victorian vibe . . .

Nobody does it quite like you.

If you haven’t seen this movie…such a shame.

Don’t forget; although, we got the 90s thing going on – “CASPER, THE FRIENDLY GHOST” is a certified vintage cartoon staple who first appeared in book form in 1939, and later became the beloved animated ghost we know today in 1945!!!

Vintage inspiration….it’s where it’s at! I said it before, and I’ll say it again.

“It’s like she’s the only one that gets me”

{the internet}

We are proud to admit that we are absolutely obsessed with Lana Del Rey (along with the rest of the internet) – her melancholic croons and her unapologetic approach to bringing the {past} to the {present}, truly mirrors our own approach at The Eye of Faith to try and shape our {future}.

So, of course, we have been buzzing over her latest video drop just the other day for her new single “LOVE”. How apropos…

In true Lana style, her team takes us on a sweeping visual journey from grainy 1960s black and white realness to a dreamy extraterrestrial getaway for a pack of beautiful wayward youth. It’s like a picture from a dream; and no artist can really capture that mysteriously nostalgic vibe of needing to “escape our everyday” – I mean, who doesn’t want to escape to another planet with their best friends?

Truly breathtaking moments that conjure up feels from “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and Lars Von Trier’s “Melancholia“. From floating trucks and many moons, to the spot on psych rock styling – this video is truly one of her greatest, and is not to be missed.

Vintage inspired posters of Lana Del Rey have been spotted plastered across the streets of Los Angeles, and elsewhere in California, so expect a big resurgence of the 21st Century’s truly unique Pop Diva this coming year!

Knowing how you feel about the things we love, we truly thought you’d appreciate “LOVE” by Lana Del Rey. Marvel at how so many inspirations truly have come to play to make this video come to life. That is what is so great, and important about staying {style-wise} – creatively, it can allow you to create a much richer and deeper experience which is exactly why we began The Eye of Faith in the first place!

So do enjoy the video below, and leave your comments when you are done, and stay tuned for more to come!

My Soul. I summon to the winding ancient stair;Set all your mind upon the steep ascent,Upon the broken, crumbling battlement,Upon the breathless starlit air,“Upon the star that marks the hidden pole;Fix every wandering thought uponThat quarter where all thought is done:Who can distinguish darkness from the soul

We might not be familiar in the least with the name Josephine Siao, but in Hong Kong she remains one of the most beloved stars of all time. Starting her career as a child, she quickly became one of the biggest teen idols of the late 1960s, and made a very successful transition into adult roles.

Its easy to see why, especially in this insane music video of the young star covering American rock band Gary Puckett & The Union Gap ‘s classic song “Young Girl”. We loved the colours and retro-future vibes, as well as the insane 60s fashions, so wanted to bring this hidden gem to the forefront as is our mission here at The Eye of Faith!

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The men and women who inspire…Style Idols and Divinities are unique individuals with style beyond the things they wear, but also the way they lived. Delve into their unique stories accompanied by an expansive array of photos to muse over!

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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

The Eye of Faith {Vintage} is a brand dedicated to integrating time traveled wisdom from the {past} with the {present} to help shape the {future}. It is an age old symbol of believing in oneself, and having faith in your dreams. No longer must we be lost. We are a burgeoning society dedicated to an alternative to the purchase of affordable fashion forward apparel, accessories, and home decor. We also provide design services and consultation, as well as costume and styling. At our core, we are a source of inspiration and musing.
Please enjoy your time here.
If you have any questions, please email the.eye.of.faith@gmail.com